Railway signal



Dec. 17, 1929. J. KLIMALA 1,739,842

RAILWAY SIGNAL Filed Aug. 8. 1928 7556/035 /K'alah Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED` STATES JOSEPH KLIMALA, F CHICAGO, lILLINOIS RAILWAY SIGNAL Application led August 8, 1928.

The present invention relates to automatic railway signals, and has for its main object the provision of a visual means, such as lamp light or the like, positioned near the crossing and to be automatically operated by the approaching train to apprise persons near' the crossing of the approach of the train.

Another object of the present invention is `the provision of an electric lamp with which atranslucent plate colored green or red is adapted to cooperate, and which plate may be automatically shifted by suitable means which are intended to be operable by means of the train wheels.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a signal of the character stated, which normally shows green light indicating that no train is approaching, and which by automatic means changes the green light to red ylight on actuation of suitable means for train wheels, and which reverses to the original green light on the train having passed the crossing.

Vith the above general objects in view and other that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated on the accompanyingdrawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawing forming a part of this application and in 'which like designating Acharacters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top elevational view of the device;

' Fig. 3 is an end elevati-onal view of the signal post; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the plate cooperating with the present device.

- Referring in detail to the drawing there is shown therein an upright post 10 positioned adjacent the railway track, including .rails 11, at one side thereof. Said post at its upper end carries a lamp support 12, at the upper `end of which is lamp 13. Mounted Aupon said .post 10 by means of screws 14 or the like, is

Serial N o'. 298,299.

hood 15 which protects the lamp from damage. At each side said hood .15 is provided' with a lVshaped ,opening 16. Positioned within said hood 15 and adjacent the two sides thereof is a pair .of sector-shaped plates 17 made .of glass or other translucent material. Each of sa-id plates has its lower l half colored green, and the-other half colored red,.as indicated on Fig. 4. Each-,ofv said plates 17 ismounted upon arms.18,which60 at their upper ends are pivotally mounted' upon pin 19 upon support 12. j

Said green and red colored portions o-f plate 17 are adaptedto registerv with open-1 ings 16, and as shown on Fig., 1 the green '65 portion of plate 17 is visible through open-y ing 16, it being understood that lamp 13 remaining opposite said opening 16 illuminates either green orred portion of the plate 17, as the case may be. l f

The lower ends of said .arms 18`are .con-y, neoted by rod 20, upon the o uter ends of which are pivotedthe upper endsof links 21. The lower ends ofv said links 21- are connected by rod 22, upon the outer ends of which the lower ends of arms 23 are pivotally positioned. The upper ends of said arms 23 arev pivoted upon post '10 by meanseof pin 24.

On the inner face of post 10and normally in transverse relation therewith is rocker bar 25 adapted for pivotalshifting movement upon pivot point 26. One end of said rocker bar 25 rests upon rod 22 and is adapted for pivotal movement thereon, as seen on Figs. 1 and 2. VAdjacent each of its ends said yg5 rocker bar 25 is provided with'oblong slots 27 and 28 for the purpose hereinafterI stated.

At some distance from the crossing and on one side thereof and adjacent rail 11 which is the nearest tothe signal herein-,9o above described, are two bearings 29 and 30 of ident-ical construction,each positioned on each side of said rail .11. Said bearings 29 and 30 are mounted upon some firm support such as concrete block or the like, by means of screws or bolts V31, said bearingsv being below the plane of said rail 11, as seen. on Fig. 1. Mounted for freev rotary movement in said bearings 29 and 30 is shaft 32, the central portion of whichbetween said bearings 29 and 30 is square in cross-section for rigidly mounting thereupon a substantially J-shaped arm 33. This J-shaped arm 33 remains between bearing 29 and the inner side of one of rails 11, and its curved leg portion projects above its cooperating rail 11,

said arm being tilted or inclined toward the crossing. Directly below said projecting upper end of said arm 33 there is aicoil spring 34 mounted in a bore made in block 35, for normally urging and maintaining said arm 33 to its elevated inoperative position illustrated on Fig. 1. v

On the other side of said rail 11 is link 36, which by its upper end is rigidly mounted upon shaft 32, while the lowerl end of said link 36 is in pivotal engagement with the adjacent end of rod 37. Said road 37 ispositioned below ties 38 and runs parallelly to rail 11. The other end of said rod 37, adlacent post 10, is bent at a right angle, the

ent portion of said rod 37 pivotally connecting with cam block 39, which may be positioned either upon the inner face of said post 10 or set within the same in suitable ree cesses, such as 40 shown on Fig. 1. Said cam block 39 -is substantially L-shaped and at its head portion is pivoted upon pin 41. The leg portion of said cam block 39 projects beyond the end face of said post 10, while the other leg portion thereof receives the bent end of rod 37. Normally, said projecting leg portion of cam block 39 supports and contacts with upright rod 42, which is positioned adjacent one corner of post 10 formed by t-he inner face last mentioned and the face adjacent the rail track of said post 10. Said rod 42 is held in position by a plurality of staple plates 43 mounted upon said post 10. Said staple plates 43 permit free upright shifting movement of the rod 42. The upper end of rod 42 is bent at the right angle toward post 10 affecting hook portion 44 which is positioned within slot 27 of the rocker bar 25.

As illustrated on Fig. 1 the visual signal and 'mechanism hereinabove described for changing the signal remain in an inoperative position, the lower green portions of plates 17 registering with openings 16 of hood 15. At the approach of the train from the direction indicated by arrows on Fig. 1 they first wheel 45 of the train by its flange portion will press the leg portion of arm 33 downwardly against the tension of spring 34 bringing about the downward angular shifting movement of said arm 33, in consequence of which operation shaft 32 will make a slight and incomplete rotary movement whereby link 36 will angularly be shifted, and the lower end of said link 36 will shift in the direction opposite to that Afrom which the train approached. By virtue of said shifting of link 36 rod 37 will be pulled and shifted with said link 36 by virtue of which projecting leg portion of said cam block 39.

Therefore, the said projecting leg portion of cam block 39 will eXert upward pressure at rod 42 whereby said rod will shift upwardly causing angular shifting of the rocker bar 25 upon its pivot point 26, slot 37 permittingthe angular change of position of said rocker bar 25 in respect of said rod 42. Thus, due to the connection of rod 22 arms 23 will be caused to angularly shift upon their pivotal rod or pin 24 and the lower ends of said arms 23 will be caused to travel upwardly, causing the upward shifting movement of links 21, which in turn will elevate the lower ends of arms 18, and the latter will bring about the angular shifting movement of plates 17 causing the green portions of said plates 17 to shift downwardly and out of alinement with openings 16. rlhus the red portions of plates 17 will register with said openings 16, the latter being of red color, indicating the approach of the train.

It is understood that said plates 17 are of heavy material so that their weight and the weight of rod 46, which will be hereinafter described, substantially equal to the weight of arms 18, links 21, rods 2O and 22, arms 23 and rod 42. This arrangement is for the purpose of bringing about the equilibrium of the several parts hereinabove mentioned on each side of the fulcrum 19 so that when the first wheel 45 of the train hits arm 33 and in consequence of which rod 42 will be shifted upwardly and the red portion of plates 17 will register with openings 16 that changed position of plates 17 will be maintained regardless of the fact that the several wheels of the train intermittently come in contact with arm 33. By virtue of the arrangement hereinabove described the changed position of plates 17 will be brought about by the first wheel 45 of the train and that position will be maintained until the train has passed the crossing and until the other mechanism for bringing plates to their original position will be operated by the train.

It is observed that when the red portions of plates 17 register with openings 16 rocker bar 25 remains in an oblique position relative to the post 10, its end having slot 28 will be shifted downwardly, while the opposite end of said rocker bar 25 will be elevated. Therefore, rod 46 will be shifted downwardly and its lower end will assume the position indicated by dotted lines on Fig. 1 and will contact with cam block 47 which will be hereinafter described.

The mechanism for bringing about the change of the plates 17 from the operative position last mentioned to an inoperative position shown on Fig. 1, includes arm 48 which in all respects corresponds in construction to arm 33. Portion of said arm 48 projects above the rail 11 and is adapted for compression and angular shifting movement by the flange of the wheels of the train as the same passes at the opposite sidefof the crossing. Below the free end of said arm 48 block 49 is positioned for mounting therewithin coil spring 50 which pressing at said free end of arm 48 maintains the same in elevated position. rlhe other end of said arm 48 is rigidly mounted upon shaft 51 which rests in bearings 52 and 53. At the opposite end of rail 11 is link 54 which by its upper end is rigidly mounted upon shaft 51, while its lower end is in pivotal engagement with rod 55. Said rod 55 is likewise disposed on the level below ties 38, and is in longitudinal alinement with the other rod 87. The opposite end of said rod 55 is bent at an angle affecting portion 56 transversally disposed in relation to the track. Said portion 56 of rod 55 is in pivotal connection with cam block 47 at the lowermost portion thereof. Said cam block 47 has substantially a triangular formation, the longest side of which block remains in vertical position when said block is in an inoperative position shown on Fig. 1. Just above the point Where portion 56 of rod 55 connects with said block said block is pivoted to post 10 by pin 57, one of the shorter sides of block 47 is adapted to support the lower end of rod 46 when the same has shifted downwardly by virtue of angular shifting movement of rocker bar 25 when the plates 17 were brought to an operative position hereinabov-e described.

Assuming that said plates 17 remain in their operative position and red portions thereof show through openings 16, and therefore rod 46 remains in the position illustrated by dotted lines upon Fig. 1, the train having passed the crossing, the first wheel th-ereof will strike arm 48 imparting a rotary shifting movement to rod 51. By virtue of this shifting of said rod 51 link 54 will be angulariy shifted, its lower end moving toward post 10. This will force rod 55 to shift toward post 10 by consequence of which shifting movement cam block 47 on its pivot point 57 will be caused to make angular shifting movement on its pivot point 57. The side of said cam block 47 contacting with the lower end of rod 46 will ride past said rod, and in view of the fact that said side is inclined it will cause the upwardshifting movement of rod 46 to bring the same to its inoperative position illustrated by full lines on Fig. 1. This upward shifting movement of said rod 46 will bring the rocker bar 25 to its normal horizontal position, the opposite end of said rocker bar 25 will in consequence be forced downward to bring therewith links 21 to their normal inoperative position, whereby plates 17 will be brought to the posit-ion shown on Fig. 1 for showing green portions of said plates 17 through openings 16. Thus, the signal will be reconditioned for its neXt operation.

It is understood that the several yparts hereinabove described may be suitably housed.

It is further understood that the post 10 may be on either side of the crossing and there may be more than one of the signals aty one crossing and all may be operable by the signal operating mechanism hereinabove described.

Vihile there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to he understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What 1 claim as new is:

1. A railroad signal comprising a support, a hood positioned upon said support, said hood having an opening, a plate pivoted upon said support, said platelhaving lower and upper fields each of different color, normally the lower field registering v and showing through said opening in said hood, and means for shifting said plate for displacing said lower eld from registering with said opening and for bringing the upper field to register'with said opening, said plate being' maintained in said latter position by virtue of its equilibrium.

2. A railroad signalcornprising a support, a hood positioned upon said support, said hood having an opening, a plate pivoted upon said support, a portion of said plate being adapted to register with and show through said opening, means for actuating said plate for displacing the latter portion of the plate and bringing another portion of said plate to register with and show through said opening, and means for bringing said plate into original, normal relative position with respect to said opening, the weight and construction of said plate being so arranged as to permit said plate to continue maintenance of the position to whichfthe same was brought by the first or last named means.

3. A railroad signal comprising a support, a hood positioned upon said support, a plate pivoted upon said support, said plate being divided into two fields each having a different color, each of said fields being adapted to register with and show-through said opening, and means for shifting said plate in respect to said opening, said plate being adapted to maintain its relative position with respect to its opening 'by virtue of its equilibrium.

In testimony whereof 1 affix my signature.

Josnrn KLIMLA. 

